Button former



F. C. ELDER BUTTON FORMER F eb. 22, 1938.

Filed Feb. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l [Mei J07? FL/NT C. 54052, i

' in? fl/far/ieys.

Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATE.

PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention particularly relates to button formers for wire fencemachines.

The buttons or knots formed by the apparatus of this invention areformed from the wires of a 5 woven fence and serve to secure the lineand stay- Wires of the fence together in predetermined relation to eachother.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision apparatus forforming buttons or knots in wire fence Without injuring the surfaces ofthe wire forming the button or knot.

Another object of this invention is to facilitate rapid formation of thebuttons or knots in Wire fences.

The above and further objects will become apparent by reference to thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one embodiment my novel button former;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on line l'I-II ofFigure 1 Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken at anangle of 90 degrees to line 11-11 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an elevation of a portion of a Wire fence made with my novelbutton formers.

Figure is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a modification of mynovel button former.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional elevation on line VI-VI of Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 indicatesgenerally a button former for Wire fence machines. The button former 2includes a cylindrical body-member 3 having an O axial hole 6 which isadapted to receive a line wire 8 for a wire fence. One end of thebodymember 4 may have a diametrically extending recess It therein, whilethe other end should be adapted.- to engage with means for controllingthe movement of the button former 2. The recess it has outwardly flaredends and a convex bottom surface.

The recessed end of the body-member 4 is provided with two diametricallyopposed aper- 5 tures in which pins I2 are received. Means, such asset-screws l4, are engaged with the bodymember 3 to bear upon andpositively position the pins E2. The pins l2 should have relativelylarge heads l6 which normally are spaced from the body-member 4. Collarsl8 are carried by the pins 12 and loosely held against the bodymember 4by the heads iii.

In order to rotatively mount the collars IS on the pins I2, bearingmeans, such as a plurality of cylindrical pins 20 are placed between thepins l2 and the collars l8. The collars I 8 must be positioned so thatthey are easily rotated on the pins l2. The button formers 2 areconstructed and arranged to position stay-wires 2i and 22 between theline wire 3 and the collars I8. The stay-wires 2| and 22 may be directedto their desired positions by any suitable means (not shown). As thestay wires 2| and 22 should, ordinarily, be held against the end of thebodymember 4, the outer surfaces of the collars l8 taper inwardly towardthe body-member 4 to aid in positioning the stay-wires thereagainst. Therecess Ill aids in properly positioning the stay-wires 2| and 22.

One end of each of the stay-Wires 2| and 22 extends only a shortdistance beyond, and in opposite directions from, the collars I8. Then,by rotating the button former 2 in the proper direction, the ends of thestay-wires 2i and 22 are bent around the line wire 8 and formed into abutton or knot. The collars I 8 are adapted to rotatively bear upon thestay-wires when the button former 2 is rotated. The rolling contactbetween the collars l8 and the stay-wires permits the button former tobe rapidly rotated without injuring the surface coatings of the stay-Wires.

In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, I have shown a modification of mynovel button former. Trunnions 30 having heads 32 and shafts 34 arejournalled in the diametrically opposed recesses of the body-member 4 byroller bearings 36, or similar devices. The heads 32 extend beyond thebody-member 4 but taper inwardly toward the body-member.

Retaining pins 38 hold the trunnions 30 in the body-member. The heads 32are adapted to en- 'gage with the stay wires 2! and 22, and function ina manner similar to that of the collars 28. By forming the heads 32integral with the shafts 34, a stronger construction is made possible.

In some cases it may be necessary to provide means for moving the buttonformer longitudinally while it is rotating, however, such means iscommon in the art and forms no part of this invention.

While I have shown and described two specific embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limitedexactly thereto, since various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A button or knot former for wire fence machines including abody-member, at least one pin carried by and extending from saidbodymember, a collar carried by said pin and loosely held against saidbody-member, said collar having an outer surface that tapers inwardlytoward said body-member, and bearings rotatively mounting said collar onsaid pin.

2. A button or knot former for wire fence machines including abody-member, diametrically opposed pins carried by and extending fromsaid body-member, said pins being provided with relatively large heads,a collar carried by each of said pins and loosely held against saidbody-member by said heads, said collars having outer surfaces that taperinwardly toward said body-member, and a plurality of cylindrical p-insrotatively mounting said collars on said pins.

3. In a. wire fabricating machine, means for twisting a wire aboutanother comprising a rotary head, a wire passage coincident with therotational axis of said head, diametrically opposed pins carried by oneend of said head, a collar having a tapered periphery rotatably mountedon each of said pins, and means carried by the opposite end of said headfor attaching the same to said machine.

4. In a wire fence machine, means for twisting a pair of wires aboutanother comprising a rotary head, a wire passage coincident with therotational axis of said head, a pair of pins carried by one end of saidhead in offset relation to said axis, rotatable means loosely mounted onsaid pins, means for positivelyholding said pins in position on saidhead, and means on the opposite end of said head for attaching the sameto said machine.

5. In a wire fence machine, means for twisting a. pair of wires aboutanother comprising a rotary head, a wire passage coincident with therotational axis of said head, a pair of diametrically opposed removablepins carried by one end of said head, a collar having a taperedperiphery rotatably mounted on each of said pins, a set-screw disposedin each side of said head adjacent said pins for securely holding thesame in position therein, and a reduced threaded portion on the oppositeend of said head for attaching the same to said machine.

FLINT C. ELDER.

